Distorted view of Ukraine

Ukraine takes Europol to task for its warning about visa liberalisation.

European Voice

5/11/11, 9:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 9:20 PM CET

The article “Commission proposes temporary checks at internal Schengen borders” (5-11 May) mentions a recent assessment by Europol of the threat posed by organised crime, in which the agency expresses concerns about, inter alia, exploitation by organised-crime groups of “recent and prospective EU visa exemptions for western Balkan states, Ukraine and Moldova”.

Ukraine is deeply concerned by Europol’s conclusion, which is, in its view, unfounded and speculative. It needs to be stressed that Ukraine and Europol have signed an agreement on strategic co-operation; another agreement – on operational co-operation – will follow soon. These documents establish the framework in which each and every issue that may arise between Ukraine and the EU in their efforts to prevent and fight organised crime can be settled effectively.

I would also remind your readers that Ukraine is a long-time member of the World Customs Organization and of Interpol, and that we have bilateral agreements with EU countries on legal assistance.

Ukraine is making effective use of all the instruments available for international co-operation in the fight against organised crime.

It needs to be emphasised that visa liberalisation would in no way abolish checks on Ukraine-EU borders. Indeed, Ukraine will enhance the efficacy of customs checks, not least thanks to ongoing co-operation with the EU in border management. (For the record, in 2010, Ukrainian customs detected transit cargos of, for example, 1,928 kilogrammes of cocaine, 766kg of hashish, 40kg of cannabis, and 29,000 tablets of psychotropic substances. Such finds led, in 2010, to almost 1,200 legal proceedings for drugs smuggling.)

So how is it that, as Europol implicitly suggests, visa exemption with the EU might make it easier for organised-crime groups to use Ukraine as a channel for their activities? What threats has Europol identified? Trafficking of heroin or cocaine, smuggling of cigarettes, trafficking in human beings? It fails either to explain its reasoning adequately, or to identify its particular concerns.

Instead, assessments by the Ukrainian government – and corroborated by a Europol expert at a September 2010 gathering on drugs – show that, thanks to efforts by Ukraine and the international community, organised crime now chooses roundabout routes in order to bypass Ukraine.

Europol’s conclusions are even more baseless on the subject of illegal migration, the main concern that EU member states have related to visa liberalisation.

Europol concludes that increased border controls and higher-quality travel documents make illegal migration difficult for individual migrants, “forcing them to seek the services of organised-crime groups”.

According to Europol, among the most abused procedures for illegal stays in the EU are counterfeited, forged or fraudulently obtained travel documents, visas and residence permits, as well as family reunions “following marriages of convenience with EU citizens”. So what, then, is the threat if the EU abolishes short-term visas with Ukraine? Is it that some individuals will not have to turn to organised-crime groups and pay them to get a visa?

If Europol’s concern was not about Ukrainians – and the report does not see Ukraine as a source of potential illegal migrants – but rather about third-country nationals transiting through Ukraine to get to the EU, then I stress that between Ukraine and the EU there is a readmission agreement that covers such cases. This agreement is functioning very well.

At the last Ukraine-EU Summit, in November 2010, an action plan on visa liberalisation was presented to Ukraine. This was recognition that Ukraine has made significant progress in the area of justice, liberty and security, in particular in the fight against organised crime.

Europol’s statements are not consistent with this, and may prejudge future assessments conducted by the European Commission as part of its visa-liberalisation dialogue with Ukraine.

Europol provides neither evidence nor arguments to support its conclusions that a liberalisation of the EU’s visa regime with Ukraine would be exploited by organised crime. We do not agree with its conclusions, and nor will we accept them.

I hope that these statements were merely an unfortunate mistake. I urge Europol to revise them.

From:

Kostiantyn Yelisieiev

Ambassador of Ukraine to the EU

Brussels

Related stories on these topics:

carl loeber

In Ukraine medical students can pay to pass the State medical exam I am told .. and I know a recently graduated doctor who was told she would have to pay a bride to the hospital chief to get her first position .. the new way of customs corruption is an middle-man who funnels bribes to the top officials from a select group of importers in each product classification .. this pre-arranged and top-down corruption is much more business-like than old procedure of paying bribes to custom officials at the border .. students at Universities in Ukraine are faced with the dilemma of whether to pay professors who demand a bribe in order to pass their final exams .. all in all .. I think it better to get the border pretty strong until the people can get rid of the crooks in positions of power .. of course the reason you see this in the former Soviet Union is because in Soviet times it was illegal to be a business man .. so all business men were crooks .. there were no free markets .. no free exchange was legal .. so business types all learned to do things illegally .. it was the only way to make a profit if you were in a position of management .. or had connections .. these folks are still in power .. and the younger generation has fairly well learned the ropes from the older generation .. sad to say that is how I see it .. especially in Russia ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 12:20 AM CEST

carl loeber

In Ukraine medical students can pay to pass the State medical exam I am told .. and I know a recently graduated doctor who was told she would have to pay a bride to the hospital chief to get her first position .. the new way of customs corruption is an middle-man who funnels bribes to the top officials from a select group of importers in each product classification .. this pre-arranged and top-down corruption is much more business-like than old procedure of paying bribes to custom officials at the border .. students at Universities in Ukraine are faced with the dilemma of whether to pay professors who demand a bribe in order to pass their final exams .. all in all .. I think it better to get the border pretty strong until the people can get rid of the crooks in positions of power .. of course the reason you see this in the former Soviet Union is because in Soviet times it was illegal to be a business man .. so all business men were crooks .. there were no free markets .. no free exchange was legal .. so business types all learned to do things illegally .. it was the only way to make a profit if you were in a position of management .. or had connections .. these folks are still in power .. and the younger generation has fairly well learned the ropes from the older generation .. sad to say that is how I see it .. especially in Russia ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 12:20 AM CEST

dave

The problem in Ukraine is that the “organized crime groups” are THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! I live in Kiev and personally know a boarder / customs agent who works on the boarder with Poland and said that he is forced to allow mystery shipments in and out of Ukraine all the time for high level deputies and their friends or family. They pay no taxes or imports on these items (mostly durable goods and electronics), while the average Ukrainian will pay a 100% mark up if they try to buy anything from abroad. Ukraine is more of a 3rd world country and deserves to be treated more harshly by the international community for providing noting but empty words and false promises year after year with zero results.

Posted on 5/12/11 | 2:18 AM CEST

dave

The problem in Ukraine is that the “organized crime groups” are THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! I live in Kiev and personally know a boarder / customs agent who works on the boarder with Poland and said that he is forced to allow mystery shipments in and out of Ukraine all the time for high level deputies and their friends or family. They pay no taxes or imports on these items (mostly durable goods and electronics), while the average Ukrainian will pay a 100% mark up if they try to buy anything from abroad. Ukraine is more of a 3rd world country and deserves to be treated more harshly by the international community for providing noting but empty words and false promises year after year with zero results.

Posted on 5/12/11 | 2:18 AM CEST

carl loeber

In Ukraine medical students can pay to pass the State medical exam I am told .. and I know a recently graduated doctor who was told she would have to pay a bride to the hospital chief to get her first position .. the new way of customs corruption is an middle-man who funnels bribes to the top officials from a select group of importers in each product classification .. this pre-arranged and top-down corruption is much more business-like than old procedure of paying bribes to custom officials at the border .. students at Universities in Ukraine are faced with the dilemma of whether to pay professors who demand a bribe in order to pass their final exams .. all in all .. I think it better to get the border pretty strong until the people can get rid of the crooks in positions of power .. of course the reason you see this in the former Soviet Union is because in Soviet times it was illegal to be a business man .. so all business men were crooks .. there were no free markets .. no free exchange was legal .. so business types all learned to do things illegally .. it was the only way to make a profit if you were in a position of management .. or had connections .. these folks are still in power .. and the younger generation has fairly well learned the ropes from the older generation .. sad to say that is how I see it .. especially in Russia ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 12:20 AM CEST

carl loeber

In Ukraine medical students can pay to pass the State medical exam I am told .. and I know a recently graduated doctor who was told she would have to pay a bride to the hospital chief to get her first position .. the new way of customs corruption is an middle-man who funnels bribes to the top officials from a select group of importers in each product classification .. this pre-arranged and top-down corruption is much more business-like than old procedure of paying bribes to custom officials at the border .. students at Universities in Ukraine are faced with the dilemma of whether to pay professors who demand a bribe in order to pass their final exams .. all in all .. I think it better to get the border pretty strong until the people can get rid of the crooks in positions of power .. of course the reason you see this in the former Soviet Union is because in Soviet times it was illegal to be a business man .. so all business men were crooks .. there were no free markets .. no free exchange was legal .. so business types all learned to do things illegally .. it was the only way to make a profit if you were in a position of management .. or had connections .. these folks are still in power .. and the younger generation has fairly well learned the ropes from the older generation .. sad to say that is how I see it .. especially in Russia ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 12:20 AM CEST

dave

The problem in Ukraine is that the “organized crime groups” are THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! I live in Kiev and personally know a boarder / customs agent who works on the boarder with Poland and said that he is forced to allow mystery shipments in and out of Ukraine all the time for high level deputies and their friends or family. They pay no taxes or imports on these items (mostly durable goods and electronics), while the average Ukrainian will pay a 100% mark up if they try to buy anything from abroad. Ukraine is more of a 3rd world country and deserves to be treated more harshly by the international community for providing noting but empty words and false promises year after year with zero results.

Posted on 5/12/11 | 2:18 AM CEST

dave

The problem in Ukraine is that the “organized crime groups” are THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! I live in Kiev and personally know a boarder / customs agent who works on the boarder with Poland and said that he is forced to allow mystery shipments in and out of Ukraine all the time for high level deputies and their friends or family. They pay no taxes or imports on these items (mostly durable goods and electronics), while the average Ukrainian will pay a 100% mark up if they try to buy anything from abroad. Ukraine is more of a 3rd world country and deserves to be treated more harshly by the international community for providing noting but empty words and false promises year after year with zero results.

Posted on 5/12/11 | 2:18 AM CEST

mike

The usual professional Russian troll comments …

Posted on 5/12/11 | 10:47 AM CEST

mike

The usual professional Russian troll comments …

Posted on 5/12/11 | 10:47 AM CEST

carl loeber

Dear Ambassador Kostiantyn Yelisieiev .. if you know an honest and courageous politician or prosecutor or police chief who will care enough to take evidence of the things I write please send me an email to kinderhelp@live.com .. I have tried to learn how to report and prosecute such things as a way to help the people there .. it is sad to hear about such things from students who have little way to pay these bribes .. the doctor I spoke told me her mother offered to mortgage her apartment so she could get the job at the hospital .. I told her to bring a recording devise and record the conversation from the hospital chief.. of course the individual student or doctor in this case is wary to take the chance that no police or prosecutor will care and the student will never get their degree or get the position .. I have contacted the European Union and the US State Dept. to ask if they know of anyone in authority or in parliment in Ukraine who cares about these things .. if the writer of this article cares to tell me where a citizen can seek justice then please let me know ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 11:34 AM CEST

carl loeber

Dear Ambassador Kostiantyn Yelisieiev .. if you know an honest and courageous politician or prosecutor or police chief who will care enough to take evidence of the things I write please send me an email to kinderhelp@live.com .. I have tried to learn how to report and prosecute such things as a way to help the people there .. it is sad to hear about such things from students who have little way to pay these bribes .. the doctor I spoke told me her mother offered to mortgage her apartment so she could get the job at the hospital .. I told her to bring a recording devise and record the conversation from the hospital chief.. of course the individual student or doctor in this case is wary to take the chance that no police or prosecutor will care and the student will never get their degree or get the position .. I have contacted the European Union and the US State Dept. to ask if they know of anyone in authority or in parliment in Ukraine who cares about these things .. if the writer of this article cares to tell me where a citizen can seek justice then please let me know ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 11:34 AM CEST

mike

The usual professional Russian troll comments …

Posted on 5/12/11 | 10:47 AM CEST

mike

The usual professional Russian troll comments …

Posted on 5/12/11 | 10:47 AM CEST

carl loeber

Dear Ambassador Kostiantyn Yelisieiev .. if you know an honest and courageous politician or prosecutor or police chief who will care enough to take evidence of the things I write please send me an email to kinderhelp@live.com .. I have tried to learn how to report and prosecute such things as a way to help the people there .. it is sad to hear about such things from students who have little way to pay these bribes .. the doctor I spoke told me her mother offered to mortgage her apartment so she could get the job at the hospital .. I told her to bring a recording devise and record the conversation from the hospital chief.. of course the individual student or doctor in this case is wary to take the chance that no police or prosecutor will care and the student will never get their degree or get the position .. I have contacted the European Union and the US State Dept. to ask if they know of anyone in authority or in parliment in Ukraine who cares about these things .. if the writer of this article cares to tell me where a citizen can seek justice then please let me know ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 11:34 AM CEST

carl loeber

Dear Ambassador Kostiantyn Yelisieiev .. if you know an honest and courageous politician or prosecutor or police chief who will care enough to take evidence of the things I write please send me an email to kinderhelp@live.com .. I have tried to learn how to report and prosecute such things as a way to help the people there .. it is sad to hear about such things from students who have little way to pay these bribes .. the doctor I spoke told me her mother offered to mortgage her apartment so she could get the job at the hospital .. I told her to bring a recording devise and record the conversation from the hospital chief.. of course the individual student or doctor in this case is wary to take the chance that no police or prosecutor will care and the student will never get their degree or get the position .. I have contacted the European Union and the US State Dept. to ask if they know of anyone in authority or in parliment in Ukraine who cares about these things .. if the writer of this article cares to tell me where a citizen can seek justice then please let me know ..

Posted on 5/12/11 | 11:34 AM CEST

viktor

true concern of Interpol is the government of Ukraine, not the ordinary people.

Posted on 5/15/11 | 7:59 AM CEST

viktor

true concern of Interpol is the government of Ukraine, not the ordinary people.

Posted on 5/15/11 | 7:59 AM CEST

viktor

true concern of Interpol is the government of Ukraine, not the ordinary people.

Posted on 5/15/11 | 7:59 AM CEST

viktor

true concern of Interpol is the government of Ukraine, not the ordinary people.

Posted on 5/15/11 | 7:59 AM CEST

Costas Constantinou

I’m sorry to say so but I’m leaving in Ukraine more than 4 years and I start to invest in from the year of 2001. More than a million USD just vanish, documentary proved money transfers, contract signed, testimonies from the fraudsters at police and prosecutor’s was provided but nothing happen to provide justice, criminal cases and testimonies just disappearing, the police, prosecutors and the Security Service of Ukraine just covering the cases with pulling time and stash them away. In one case I was suggested from the Security Service of Ukraine in the city where I live to use a recording devise and record the conversation with some frauds, I buy a device and after I told them they call me to the headquarters and staged interrogation with testifying saying that this device and what I was planning to do is illegal but is not illegal for them to recording my phone conversations and using my business informations to crash my deals.
If you say about the organized crime groups just check in the google for video “???????????? ?????????” (criminal occupation) and all the questions will be answered. Where the EU, OSCE, UN and all the other international organizations are looking at? The country is a playground of mafia starting from the head, the ordinary people are living to feed the mafia sharks.

Posted on 9/5/11 | 4:38 PM CEST

Costas Constantinou

I’m sorry to say so but I’m leaving in Ukraine more than 4 years and I start to invest in from the year of 2001. More than a million USD just vanish, documentary proved money transfers, contract signed, testimonies from the fraudsters at police and prosecutor’s was provided but nothing happen to provide justice, criminal cases and testimonies just disappearing, the police, prosecutors and the Security Service of Ukraine just covering the cases with pulling time and stash them away. In one case I was suggested from the Security Service of Ukraine in the city where I live to use a recording devise and record the conversation with some frauds, I buy a device and after I told them they call me to the headquarters and staged interrogation with testifying saying that this device and what I was planning to do is illegal but is not illegal for them to recording my phone conversations and using my business informations to crash my deals.
If you say about the organized crime groups just check in the google for video “???????????? ?????????” (criminal occupation) and all the questions will be answered. Where the EU, OSCE, UN and all the other international organizations are looking at? The country is a playground of mafia starting from the head, the ordinary people are living to feed the mafia sharks.

Posted on 9/5/11 | 4:38 PM CEST

Costas Constantinou

I’m sorry to say so but I’m leaving in Ukraine more than 4 years and I start to invest in from the year of 2001. More than a million USD just vanish, documentary proved money transfers, contract signed, testimonies from the fraudsters at police and prosecutor’s was provided but nothing happen to provide justice, criminal cases and testimonies just disappearing, the police, prosecutors and the Security Service of Ukraine just covering the cases with pulling time and stash them away. In one case I was suggested from the Security Service of Ukraine in the city where I live to use a recording devise and record the conversation with some frauds, I buy a device and after I told them they call me to the headquarters and staged interrogation with testifying saying that this device and what I was planning to do is illegal but is not illegal for them to recording my phone conversations and using my business informations to crash my deals.
If you say about the organized crime groups just check in the google for video “???????????? ?????????” (criminal occupation) and all the questions will be answered. Where the EU, OSCE, UN and all the other international organizations are looking at? The country is a playground of mafia starting from the head, the ordinary people are living to feed the mafia sharks.

Posted on 9/5/11 | 4:38 PM CEST

Costas Constantinou

I’m sorry to say so but I’m leaving in Ukraine more than 4 years and I start to invest in from the year of 2001. More than a million USD just vanish, documentary proved money transfers, contract signed, testimonies from the fraudsters at police and prosecutor’s was provided but nothing happen to provide justice, criminal cases and testimonies just disappearing, the police, prosecutors and the Security Service of Ukraine just covering the cases with pulling time and stash them away. In one case I was suggested from the Security Service of Ukraine in the city where I live to use a recording devise and record the conversation with some frauds, I buy a device and after I told them they call me to the headquarters and staged interrogation with testifying saying that this device and what I was planning to do is illegal but is not illegal for them to recording my phone conversations and using my business informations to crash my deals.
If you say about the organized crime groups just check in the google for video “???????????? ?????????” (criminal occupation) and all the questions will be answered. Where the EU, OSCE, UN and all the other international organizations are looking at? The country is a playground of mafia starting from the head, the ordinary people are living to feed the mafia sharks.